Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Palestinian People
Occupied Palestinian Territory
UNIFIL
Sudan
South Sudan
Ukraine
Senior Personnel Appointment
Police Week
Honour Roll
Belarus
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PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the opening session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. He said that the New York Declaration and its annexes, endorsed by the General Assembly last year, provide a clear, actionable path toward a two-State solution.
But what matters, he added, is durable change on the ground, and, as we sadly know all too well, the situation is perilously fragile. Since the October agreement, the Secretary-General said, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed.
He urged all parties to implement the agreement in full, exercise maximum restraint, and comply with international law and UN resolutions. And he also called for the facilitation of rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief at scale, including through the Rafah crossing.
Mr. Guterres noted that more than 37,000 Palestinians were displaced in the West Bank in 2025 alone, a year that also saw record-high levels of Israeli settler violence.
He also condemned once more in the strongest terms actions by Israeli authorities to demolish the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound in occupied East Jerusalem. Public threats by officials of Israel against the staff of UNRWA are utterly abhorrent and must be met with unequivocal repudiation, he said.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, yesterday welcomed the partial reopening of Rafah crossing for people to leave and return to Gaza. He stressed, however, that this is not enough and that Rafah must function as a real humanitarian corridor so we can have a surge in aid deliveries.
And our partners working in education continue their efforts to increase enrolment capacity through setting up new learning spaces, expanding existing ones, and supporting community-led initiatives. Supplies are arriving gradually, which will help with this effort.
UNIFIL
Moving to southern Lebanon, and in answer to some of the questions the Spokesperson received on the substance that was dropped by the Israel Defense Forces over areas near the Blue Line yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeeping colleagues confirmed that they supported the Lebanese authorities to collect samples north of the Blue Line, to be tested for toxicity. The Lebanese authorities will test the samples and UNIFIL remains in contact with the Lebanese authorities as they work to obtain results as quickly as possible.
Separately, this morning peacekeepers on patrol observed two drones hovering above them near Kafr Kela in Sector East. One drone carrying an unidentified object entered a range assessed as an immediate threat.
Peacekeepers took defensive action, after which the drone dropped a stun grenade about 50 metres away before flying toward Israeli territory. No injuries were reported, and the patrol continued.
UNIFIL informed both the Israeli and Lebanese armies, as it does for all activities in sensitive areas near the Blue Line. The use of armed drones is unacceptable. We reiterate the obligation of all parties to respect the Blue Line, ensure the safety of peacekeepers and avoid actions that endanger them.
Full Highlight: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-02-03